Car construction



April 28, 1931. u HALL 1,803,014

CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 28, 1931. J, 1,803,014

CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 11,, 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 atented pr. 28, i931 ELBER'I. J. HALL, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND PATENT OFFICE FOUNDRY MOTORS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF- DELAWARE can CONSTRUCTION Application filed September 11, 1928. I Serial No. 305,169.

An object of the invention is to provide in a car a rugged construction adapted to resist bufiing shocks and comprises a combination and association of parts all arranged so as to contribute to the strength of the structure and so connected that shocks to one part will be transmitted to and be absorbed by the associated members of the structure.

Another obiect is to reinforce an end wall and a side wall, preferably of plate-girder construction in a car by providing a Wheel hood built into and connected with said walls and associated parts so as to strengthen the assembly against end shocks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car the side walls of which are formed preferably of plate girders, one thereof have ing a portion removed to provide a door open-1 ing, and with means to reinforce the plate girder whereby to compensate for the door opening and to strengthen the plate-girder at this portion of the wall.

Another ob'ect is to utilize transverse members of a cor support as means for supporting a step well which is in effect a continuation of the plate-girder side wall.-

Another object is to provide connections whereby floor supports contribute to'the stiffness of said plate-girder side and end walls.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the. description thereof, and it is my in tention to cover the same broadly within the i. tion 4.5

scope of the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a car constructed in accordance with the present' invention, the front portion only being shown in the figure referred to; 1

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of

the end sill shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side end elevational view of the end sill;

Fi 4-is a vertical sectional view, the secheing taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is an isometric perspective VIGW showing the claimed parts in their assembled relation.

While the construction is admirably adapted for use in a car or other vehicle in WhlCh the side and end wall portions are of platestituted therefor within the scope of the pres' ent invention.

Referring to the parts, the invention includes the provision of plate-girder side and end walls B for a-car or other vehicle whereby to obtain great strength and rigidity of parts, said girder comprising the web' or plate 1, the compression member 4, serving as the belt rail, and the lower or tension member 5 being in the form'of an angle. The compression and tension members are preferably riveted to the web. In addition, the late-girder wall includes the vertical web sti eners '2 and 3 serving as body posts, and the plate-girder tension melnbenalso includes, as a part thereof, the angle 11, as will be hereinafter more clearlyepointed out. The posts are connectedto the plate 1 of the girder-plate by suitable rivet connection, and, unless otherwise specified, where a connection is indicated-it is understood that rivets are referred to, but welding or other equivalent means may be employed. The structure is carried by the depth from top to bottom to afford the nec-' essa ry strength to carry the load, while above the upper edge thereof, suitable window openings (not shown) may be provided. Framed into and in effect forming a part of'the plategirder side walls, are wheel hoods including the cover plates 10 which are connected to the plates 1 by means of the angles 11 which angles are parts of and serve as stiffening means for said wheel hoods, and also serve as tension members for the side plate-girders within the zone of such wheel hoods. The curved cover plates of the wheel hoods are also connected with inner sheets 12, forming parts of the wheel hoodsby means of correspondingly curved angles. 11A under the curved or arched hood plates 10 and are shown in dotted lines in Flg. 1.

Extending transversely of the car is an end sill which comprises a channel 14 anda sill cover plate 14a; the channel 14 as shown ing member is secured by suitable rivetconnection or otherwise with the outer face of the channel 14. Extending parallel with the middle portion of the end sill and at a suitable distance rearwardly therefrom, are transoms or cross members 17 which are substantially channel-shaped in cross section. The upper flanges 18 of these transoms are cut and bent upwardly at 19 for connection by means of the rivets 20 with the curved cover sheet of the wheel hood 10, this ofl'set flange 19 being slightly accentuated at 21 where the flange from the member 17 laps the connection angles 11 before referred to.

The entrance door for the vehicle is ar rangedrearwardly of and adjacent one of the wheel housings and necessarily the side wall or plate 1 is cut away at this portion. Ordinarily this weakens the construction but the present invention eliminates this disadvantage as now to be described. A step plate 22 issecured to the lower chord or flange 18a of channel 17 by rivets 23 (see Fig. 5) and the step plate extends and is connected to the bottom flange 31 of a transom A (see Fig. 1). The outer edge of the plate 22 is secured to the angle 5 and the inner edge of the step plate is riveted to the flange 24a of a riser 24 as shown at 25a; the riser being reinforced by angles 25 which latter, in turn,

are riveted directly to the vertical web of the transom channel 17 and also to the web of transom A. By this construction it will be apparent that the load is transmitted from the plate 1 on one side of the door opening to the other side of the door opening through the transom A, step plate 22 and riser 24 and angle 5-, to the channel 17; the step plate 22, therefore, having a definite and distinct function in the construction aside from its purpose as a step.

As shown in Fig. 5, the angle side posts 3 lap. and are directly connected with the web of the channel 17 thereby forming through the connections hereinbefore referred to a direct union of the step plate 22 with the side plate-girder.

It is to be noted that the plate-girder tension member 5 does not extend the full length of the plate or web 1. It does, however, ex-

' tend from below the wheel hood where it is riveted to the bottom flange of channel 17 continuously to the opposite end of that portion of the side wall illustrated in the drawings. Therefore, there is in the zone indicated one continuous element serving as a tension member. The tension member at the wheel housing portion of the girder is,- in effect, a continuation of the angle 5, but comprises the angle 11, and it can be seen-that,

as shown in Fig. 5, for example, the parts are all connected; the transom 17 reinforcing the plate by being connected to the angle 11 and angle post 3. The plate-girder, therefore, includes the web 1, the compression member 4, the web stifleners 2 and 3, and the angles 5 and 11, as hereinbefore particularly pointed out. It is obvious that this invention is specific to only the front portion of the car body, theremainder of-which is illustrated and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 285,078, filed June 13, 1928, now Patent No. 1,743,211 of January 14,1930.

The front end sill of the car is liable toviolent contact with obstacles and is capable of use in bufiing. It may also be used in pushing other vehicles, hence it must be materially reinforced especially where, as in the construction illustrated, the plates of the supporting girders are of relatively thin metal.

To that end the wheel hood structures and the longitudinal floor supports are utilized in the present design as substantial reinforcements to said front end sill. To accomplish this the transoms 17 are connected with the end sill cover plate through the floor supporting channels 26 which carry on their upper faces the floor nailing strips 27, said channels being secured directly to the top flange of the transom 17 and to the front end sill cover plate 14A. Two of said channels, one on each side, are connected by direct rivet connection to the vertical sheets 12 of'the wheel hoods and to the front end sill cover plate while the said sheets 12 are directly connected to channels 26 and to the angles 29 rising from the end sill and serving as stifieners for the front wall of the car as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The curved top plates 10 of the wheel hoods are directly connected to the transoms 17 and to the front end sill structure through the angles 30, adding materially to the stiffness of said sill and this effect is augmented by the angles 11 and 11A hereinbefore referred to,

said angles 11 connecting said top wheel hood sheet 10 to the side wall 1 and the angles 11A connecting the plates 10 and 12. Thus the wheel hoods serve as box-like structures designed and positioned to best advantage to reinforce and stiflen the front end sill and through the connections before referredto bufling stresses developed in said end sill in service are practically absorbed in said wheel hoods, while excessive stresses are com municated to the transom 17 and throu h the longitudinal channels 26 are distrl uted.

I being connected in such a manner that a throughout the floor supports without'damage to the carwalls.

From the above'description it is believed that anyone skilled in the art will appreciate that the car of the present invention com prises plate-girder side and end walls with wheel housings builtinto the angles. defined by the side and end walls; the wheel housings rugged structure is provided. It will further be apparent that the side wall. in which the dooropening is provided has been reinforced wall connected therewith, a wheel housingby the connection of the step plate therewith and by the arrangement of the step plate.

The drawings herewith illustrate one embodiment but it is to be understood that they.

are for illustrative-purposes only and that various changes in the form and proportions of the construction illustrated may be made within the scope of the appended claims with- .out departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. In a car, a channel-shaped front end sill, a plate-girder side and end wall and. a wheel housing connected to the end sill and the side Wall.

2. In a car, a front end sill, a floor support connected therewith, a plate-girder wall forming a side and end portion of the car, a wheel housing connected with the side portiono-f the wall and means connecting the wheel housing tothe end sill.

3. In a, car construction a plate-girder wall comprising plates and posts, a channelshaped front end sill and a wheel housing having an inner sheet and an outer flanged member connected to the wall.

4. In a car, a front end sill, a plate-girder connectedwith a side portion thereof, means connecting the wheel housing to an end portion of sald wall and acha'nnel-shaped floor" support connecting the wheel housing and the end sill.

5. In a car, a channel-shaped end sill including a cover plate, a plate-girder side and end wall, a wheel housing connected directly to the end sill and the side wall and a floor support connected directly to said housing and cover plate. 1

6. In a car, a front end sill, a floorsupport connected therewith, a plate-girder wall forining a side and end portion of the car, a wheel housing connected in the side wall portion and having an inner sheet connected directly to said floor support'and with the end wall portion.

7. In a car, an end sill and a transverse member spaced therefrom, a plate-girder side and end wall connected to said sill and transverse member, a wheel housing inthe angle formed by the-side and end wall and'connected to the tension member of the plategirder and to the end sill, and an inner sheet ber .of said wall.

8. In a car, an end'sill, a plate-girder, side and end wall defining an angle, a wheel housing in the angle defined by the plategirder-and connected to the side wall at the tension member thereof and to the end sill, a transverse member to which the housing is secured, and an inner housing plate secured to ltlhe housingand to the plate-girder end W3. k I

9.. In a car, a plate-girder side and-end wall, an end sill forming the tension member of the end wall, said plate-girder defining a corner angle of the car, a wheel housing in the angle and connected to the tension memlate-girder, a transverse member spaced rom the end sill and connected to the wheel housing, a floor support connecting the end sill and transverse member, and

. e, an inner housing sheet connected to the wheel the'end sill and to which the side wall is.

connected, a longitudinal member spaced from the sidewall and connected to the endsill and transverse member,'a wheel housing connectedto the housing, transverse member and end wall.

11. In a car, an end sill, a transverse member spaced therefrom, a plate forming side and end wall portions and connected to the end sill and transverse member, a sheet parallel to the side wall portion and extending be-. tween the transverse member and end sill and connected to the end wall portion, a longitudinal member connectingthe end sill and transverse member and to which said sheet is connected, and a wheel housing between the side wall portion and the before mentioned sheet and connected to both thereof and to the transversemember and end sill. 12. In a car, a front end sill, a plate girder wall connected therewith, a wheel housing connected with a side'portion of the wall,

and means connecting the wheel housing with the end portion of said wall. a

13. In a car, a front end sill, a transverse supporting member, a wall connected to'the end sill and transverse member and including side and end portions, a wheel housing connected to the side portions of the wall and to the transverse member, and means connecting the wheel housing and end portion of the wall.

14. In a car, a front end sill, a transverse supporting member, a wall connected to the end sill and transverse member and including side and end portions, a wheel housing connected to the side portion of the wall and with the end sill, and means connecting the wheel housing and end portion of the wall.

15. In a car, an end sill, a transverse supporting member having an upwardly extending flange, a wall. connected to the end sill and transverse member and including side and end portions, a wheel housing connected tovthe sideportion of the wall and to the upwardly extending flange of the trans verse supporting member, and with the end sill, and means connecting the wheel housing to the end portion of the wall.

16. In a car construction, a plate girder wall comprising plates and posts, a channel shaped end sill, a wheel housing having an inner sheet and an outer flanged member each connected to the plate girder wall, and a floor support connecting the Wheel housing and end sill.

17. In a car construction, a plate girder wall comprising side andend portions, a

channel shaped end sill, atransverse member, a wheel housing connected to the transverse member and having an inner sheet and an outer flanged member connected to the end and side portions of the wall respectively, and a floor support connecting the wheel housing, end sill, and transverse member. p

18. In a car, an end sill curved rearwardly -near its ends, a transverse member, a plate girder wall extending from the transverse member around the curved portion and in front of the end sill and a Wheel hood comprising a vertical sheet connected with said wa r 19. A reinforced front end for a car, comprising an end sill having curved web portions, a transverse member, wheel hoods comprising vertically arranged sheet metal closures, a plate-girder wall extending from said transverse member to and connected with said vertically arranged sheets.

20. A reinforced front end for a vehicle, comprising a channel-shaped end sill having rearwardly curved web portions, a transverse member, longitudinal members intermediate the ends of the transverse members and connected with the sill, plate-girder walls-extendingforwardly from the ends of the transverse member and lapping said sill,

and wheel hoods comprising connections to said walls and plates connected with ,the

walls and to said'longitudinal members.

- 21. A channel-shaped front end sill, having rearwardly curved web portions, in combination with reinforcing means therefor comprising a pair of wheel hoods connected with end portions of said sill, there being a vertical plate forming a wall of each wheel hood and end wall portions connected with said wheel hoods.

22. In a car, a channel front end sill having curved end portions, vertical walls lap- 24. In a car, a bent channel front end sill, a plate-girder wall lapping said end sill and" a wheel hood comprising a vertical plate forming an inner wall connected to said plate-glider.

25. In a car, a front end sill of channel form comprising a relatively straight middle portion and rearwardly curved end portions, a transverse member paralleling'the straight portion of said channel, a wheel hood comprising'a curved sheet metal mernber connected with the end sill and said transverse member, a relatively vertical sheet forming an inner wall for said wheel hood and connected to said curved sheet and said end sill.

26. In a ,car, a front end sill comprising a,

curved channel and a top cover plate, a transverse member, a flanged member connecting the sill and transverse member and a vertical' plate connected to said flanged member and extending from the transverse member to the sill.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my ELBERT J. HALL.

hand. 

